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Empathy

Terror attacks used to be a foreign concept to me. They were things that happened in other countries, to other people and I could never completely grasp their sorrow and despair, because I had never been in their place. But now I have, and I know. It's a terrible, sad day in Spain. bq. We live close to Atocha, which was the focal point of the attack. Everyone's busy but nobody knows what to do, in the temporary limbo this kind of thing causes, the shock that paralyses you. Many are heading for hospitals to give blood, to make up for the blood that has been lost. But I don't think they've provoked terror in Spain at large. Anger, sorrow and shock, yes. And solidarity against them,of course. Lots of solidarity. So, whatever it was that they thought they were trying to achieve by this, then they've failed miserably. I watch the news (EuroNews has fantastic coverage) and listen to the reports and see the carnage and I feel so deeply for these people. Scenes of confusion, smoke clearing and people crying catch my heart and mind in a ways they never could before. It's times like these that I wish I had someone, something to pray to.

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Comments

As George Carlin says, go ahead and pray to Joe Pesci.

Me too. My father's in Spain at the moment. Fortunately, he's okay. Now I wish I had someone or something to thank.

Laurence you are just on a roll today.

Atheists can pray too. We don't have to believe that someone will hear our prayers to pray. After all, we may be wrong. There is a slim chance that God exists and hears our prayers. When I feel compelled to pray, I just do, cuz maybe somebody does hear. Even if nobody hears, it just makes me feel better to express my love and gratitude.

I did just that, Doug.

I remember seeing a white helicopter with a red cross on it heading for Children's Memorial Hospital. My prayer consisted pretty much of just "Hey You, this warrants Your attention."